Govt set to implement MDMS soon

Kathmandu, Dec. 1

Finance Minister Janardan Sharma announced Wednesday that the government would implement Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) soon.

Inaugurating the second national assembly of the Nepal Mobile Distributors Association (NMDA) in the Capital, he said that the technology would be implemented to check the illegal imports of mobile phones.

"I came to know about the MDMS that was being implemented to stop the illegal imports of mobile phones. I have directed the concerned authorities to execute it immediately," he said.

According to him, thousands of people are bringing mobile sets in Nepal. That cannot be stopped. "Remittance is supporting our economy so not allowing the migrant workers to bring a mobile set will be unjust. But they are facing challenges as the cell phone is not registered here. The government is concerned to manage this problem," he said.

However, he said that a large quantity of mobile phones was being imported illegally via valid channel. "I have deployed the officials of the Finance Ministry at the Tribhuvan International Airport to manage the illegal import of gold. Everyday 20-22 kg of gold is being imported," he said.

Stating that about 30 per cent mobiles phones are imported illegally from various countries, FM Sharma expressed government commitment to check that trend.

Speaking on the occasion, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Shekhar Golchha said that controlling illegal imports of cell phones would have positive impacts on the economy.

According to him, mobile phone is not a luxury. "Of all the inventions made so far, aeroplanes and mobile phones are the most effective. These two have converted the entire world into a house," he said.

He stated that about 80 per cent of the employment and a large portion of economy were informal, and urged the government to help to make them formal once and for all.

Chief Executive Officer of Nabil Bank Anil Keshary Shah said that mobile phone was not a luxury and banks were ready to make investment in this sector.

Entrepreneur Deepak Malhotra said that the MDMS was the fundamental system to manage the mobile business.

"We were sure that it would be implemented since the issue was included in the budget of the current fiscal year 2021/22. But its implementation was delayed. However, minister's commitment has made us hopeful of its execution," he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 December 2021.